Server computers may compete for access to shared switches and other traffic routing resources. For example, contention for routing resources may exist when server computers are housed within racks for space and connectivity considerations, such as in a blade server computer arrangement. The server computers may experience transmission bottlenecks and delays when forwarding data frames through centralized switches, such as shared top of rack switches.
To illustrate, FIG. 1 shows a conventional blade server computer system 100. The system 100 includes a plurality of server computers 106-125 housed within racks 102, 104 and arranged into chassis 138, 140, 142, and 144. An illustrative server computer 106 may include a half-width information technology enclosure (ITE) blade server computer.
Data frame communications between the server computers 106-125 housed within different chassis 138, 140, 142, 144 or racks 102, 104 may be referred to as east-west connectivity. For example, the server computer 111 of a first chassis 140 may forward a data frame to the server computer 106 of another chassis 138 via a path 164. The path 164 includes a chassis switch 154 and a top of rack switch (TOR) 158. The chassis switch 154 and the top of rack switch 158 route the data frame based upon a media access control (MAC) address.
When the server computer 111 of the rack 102 forwards a data frame to the server computer 123 of the rack 104, the data frame travels through paths 166 and 168. The paths 166 and 168 include the top of rack switch 158, an end of rack switch (EOR) 162, and a top of rack switch 160. The top of rack switch 158 is again used when the server computer 111 attempts north-south connectivity (i.e., internal to external data frame communication) through paths 166 and 170. Because the data frames in the above examples are all routed through the top of rack switches 158, 160, a potential bottleneck scenario can result.
Increasing the number of switches and associated connections to accommodate additional traffic may present configuration challenges and complexities, as well as increase hardware costs and latency. It is therefore desirable to increase the efficiency with which data frames may be forwarded between server computers.